§ Mrs. Bainasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the level of death grant payable to individuals since its inception on an annual basis in (a) money terms and (b) real terms.
§ Mr. OrmeOn the basis of the movement in the General Index of Retail Prices up to April 1978—the latest month for which figures are available—the value, at constant April 1978 prices, of the maximum rate of death grant for each year since it was introduced in 1949 is given in the following table:—
Year (April) Maximum rate of death grant Value at April 1978 prices £ £ 1949 (July)* 20 119.92 1950 20 118.13 1951 20 111.11 1952 20 99.37 1953 20 95.43 1954 20 94.89 1955 20 91.66 1956 20 85.41 1957 20 83.93 1958 (January)† 25 101.42 1959 25 100.13 1960 25 99.40 1961 25 96.77 1962 25 91.57 1963 25 89.72 1964 25 87.95 1965 25 83.31 1966 25 80.44 1967 (October)† 30 93.54 1968 30 89.72 1969 30 85.02 1970 30 80.50 1971 30 73.57 1972 30 69.20 1973 30 63.37 1974 30 55.02 1975 30 45.22 1976 30 38.03 1977 30 32.38 1978 30 30.00 * Death grant first became payable in July 1949. † Uprating dates.
§ Mrs. Bainasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received in the last six months from (a) individuals, and (b) organisations asking that the level of death grant be reviewed.
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§ Mr. OrmeSince December 1977, I have received about 70 such representations from individuals and 75 from organisations.